Saturday, 26 November 2016

A quiet walk with just the usual Robins & Blackbirds was brightened up by first a Siskin on top of a tree near the ponds & then a Firecrest with approx. 10 Goldcrests a bit further along. As I passed the pitch the Fishguard Under 20's conceded a try so that wasn't good.

Sunday, 13 November 2016

My offer of a chance to come out on the breakwater to try and see the Snow buntings was taken up by Dave and Fran. After a stormy night it seemed likely they might have moved on. Having all got into my car I drove slowly along the breakwater all of us searching hard for a sign of the buntings. Sadly my eye was soon drawn to a little scattering of pale feathers.

Sadly, closer examination of the crime scene left little doubt as to who the victim was...

Especially as a moment later we saw the female, sadly it appears that the victim was our splendid cock Snow Bunting

The jury is out as to who the killer was. I have (not so far as I can remember) seen a Sparrowhawk actually hunting the breakwater but one often shows above the harbour. I guess Kestrel would also be a likely suspect and they hunt there quite frequently. I doubt any other of the raptors that frequent the area such as Buzzard, Peregrine or even Red Kite would be so likely to have killed it but I suppose you could not definitely count them out.

It remains to be seen if the female will stay or even if she will become a second victim of the mystery killer, but this little episode illustrates the fact that being a flashy male has its ultimate downside!

2 Lapland Buntings feeding on the track down towards the fog horn at Pen Anglas this morning. Many Thrushes in the bushes around 100 Redwing,60 Blackbirds,40 Song Thrush and several Fieldfare, also around 1,000 Starlings in the fields. Other birds included 4 Reed Buntings a Redpoll and a singing Dartford Warbler.
Chiffchaff in the garden this afternoon.

Friday, 4 November 2016

So pleased you gave a nod to Graham, Richard! He has taught just about every birder in Pembrokeshire something and quite a few from away.I wish I had been a better pupil but whatever I know about birds I owe sixty + percent to him! Either way thanks for letting us in and although I dipped on the Pallas's The Yellow Browed was a nice little autumnal bonus. Cracking pic's as well!

The highlight of the watch was the constant procession of Auks, Kittiwakes & Black Headed Gulls coming out of the bay towards Fishguard. In the four hour watch the gulls alone numbered in excess of 10,000 & the Auks maybe pushing towards 3000.

Five birds relatively low over Goodwick in a roughly westerly direction above Stop & Call Hill, disappeared in the direction of Trefasser / St. Nicholas. Disappeared so quickly in fact they may have dropped into a field somewhere.